WAWIRIYA BURTON - NGAYUKU NGURRA

WAWIRIYA BURTON
NGAYUKU NGURRA,  2010
153 cm x 102 cm
acrylic on linen
 
PROVENANCE
Tjala Arts, NT Cat No. 225-10
Private Collection, Vic
Art Leven, NSW
 
STORY
Kunmanara (Wawiriya) Burton is a senior woman of law in Amata Community, in the far northwest of South Australia. She is Ngangkari (traditional healer) and is a revered caretaker of Anangu law and culture.
 
Here, Wawiriya is telling the story of her father's country near Piplatjatjara, west of Amata. It depicts minyma mingkiri juta- meaning many small female desert mice. The mingkiri are pregnant and give birth to many babies. They then journey to the surrounding rockholes in search of food and water to feed their young. The dotted lines are mingkiri tracks.